Improved apparatus for generating gas from petroleum and other hydrocarbons



THOMPSON & FOSTER.

Apparatus for Generating Gas.

h d-51w? e451.

Patented My 5, 1863.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

GEORGE NV. THOMPSON AND JOSEPH FOSTER, OF BORDENTOWN, N. J.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS FROM PETROLEUM AND OTHER HYDROCARBONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,429, dated May 5, 1863; antedated November 10, 1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. THOMP- SON and JOSEPH FOSTER, both of Bordentown, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented certain 1mprovements in. Apparatus for Generating Gas from OoalOil; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. 7

Our invention consists, first, in depositing on the bottom of a retort a thin layer of unslaked lime, or charcoal, or other equivalent material, and causing the oil admitted to the retort to drop directly onto this layer, which will, in course of time, be converted into a fri able mass, admitting of ready removal from the retort.

The object of this portion of our invention is to prevent the accumulation of that hard incrustation which accompanies the use of coal-oil for generating gas, and which is not only difficult to remove, but interferes with the proper heating of the retort.

In order to enable others to make and use our invention, we will now proceed to describe the manner of carrying it into effect.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of our improved coaloil-gas' apparatus, with the purifying chambers in section; Fig. 2, a sectional view of the furnace and retort, and Fig. 3 a plan view.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The furnace consists of a casing, A, of brick,

or metal properly lined with brick, this case containing the retort B, a fire-grate, door, and ash-pit, and having a pipe, 0, communicating with any neighboring chimney. The retort, which is of the ordinary El form, has at the front end a detachable cover, a, and at the rear a pipe, I), communicating with the purifying apparatus, while a pipe, D, serves to admit the oil to the retort. The latter pipe has its outlet into the retort at a point midway or thereabout between the opposite ends of the latter, and that portion of the pipe on the outside of the retort is siphon-formed, and is furnished at the endwith a funnel, into which the oil is poured. On the bottom of the retort is deposited a thin layer, 00, of unslaked lime or charcoal, for a purpose described hereinafter.

The purifying portion of the apparatus consists of a number of boxes. Three, G, G, and G are shown in the present instance, each box being nearly filled with water. The first box is divided into two compartments, H and H, by a partition, h, the pipe 22 passing into the compartment H, and terminating at a point beneath the surface of the water. A pipe, I, has one branch communicating with the-compartment H at a point above the surface of the water, the other branch communicating with the compartment H, a pipe, J, forming a communication between the box G and the box G, a pipe, K, forming a communication between the boxes G and G while the pipe L serves to convey the purified gas to the gas-holder.

In using crude coal-oil or petroleum for generating gas we have found that if it is allowed to come in contact with the naked iron of the retort a thick and hard incrustation is formed, and that this not only obstructs the heat, but is very difficult to remove. The thin layer of charcoal or unslaked, lime on the bottom of the retort is converted by the absorption of the tarry matter into a solid mass, which has little or no tendency to adhere to the retort, and which is so friable that it can be readily removed.

It is necessary that gas generated from coaloil should be very thoroughly purified, in order that the flame may be clear and brilliant and unaccompanied with smoke and offensive smells. This purification of the gas is accomplished by causing it to pass through water contained in the series of boxes G, G, and G The greatest portion of the tarry matter which passes off with the gas from the retort is deposited in the compartment-H of the box G, from which it may be abstracted at suitable intervals. After passing through the water in the compartment H of the box Gr, thence through the water in the box G, and thence through that in the last box, G the gas is de prived of all impurities, and will burn with a said la er as and for the or ose herein set S a I) forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEO. W. THOMPSON. JOSEPH FOSTER.

Witnesses HENRY HoWsoN, JOHN WHITE. 

